Starting mechanism for engines



E. A. DICKEY.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28,1920.

' Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

2 $HEETSSHEET 2.

IIVI/EA/T'OR iiim i UNITED STATES PATENT orrica.

A. DICIEY, OF WIRETON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF To CHARLES A. DICKEY, 01 NEW SHEFFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR ENGINES.

State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain I new and useful Improvements in Starting Mechanism for Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My 'nvention refers to improvements in startin mechanism for engines, and more particu arly for internal explosion engines as used-on automobiles or power driven vehicles. It has in view to provide a simple, effective, and economical device for the purpose of utilizing the power of an electric motor to turn over the fly wheel and main -shaft oft'he engine in starting.

The invention utilizes an actuating pinion of-the starting motorfand shifting mech- 'anism for thrusting the teeth of the pinion lengthwise into mesh with a gear on thefly wheel or main shaft, and for effecting closing of the circuit to the starting motor after the pinion has been thrust into mesh, utillz- 26 ing an initial low pressure current by means of intervening resistance, a special contact switch for subsequently giving the full current to the motor, means for retracting the 1 pinion after starting, and various details of construction and operation, as shall be more full hereinafter described.

The inventionis generally ap licable to a'ny standardautomobile, motor oat,aeroplane, or other construction, or m fact, to at an gas or other internal'exploslon engine,

' eit er movable or stationary.

In the drawings, illustrating one preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to an automobile of well known construction, Fig. 1 is a'view insectional elevation I showing a. portion of the power equipment provided with my mprovement;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional detail view on linelI-I-II of Fig. 1, showing the thrust nnection with thefstarter pinion;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of portions of the starting geafs'; f F 1 p an view o 1g.

b Fig. 4 is asectiona and v 'Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view through the current switch on the line V -+V "of Fi 3.

H Be erri to the drawings, 2 is the for the engine, provided with. the usual main sheft and fly wheel Qwith-vvhich is incor- Specification of Letters Patent. Pate t d M 14 1922 Application filed June 28, 1920. Serial No. 392,400.

porated in any suitable way the starting gear 5. The engine case 2 is mounted in the usual manner upon the underframe of the machine, and is provided with the transmission shaft 6 extending rearwardly for ordinary connection with the driving axle gears.

The starting motor 7 of any suitable constructlon, is provided with a square or splined shaft 8 upon which is mounted the plmon 9 adapted to be thrust longitudinally of shaft 8 into and out of engagement with .gear 5. .The engaging ends of the teeth of pinion 9 and ar 5 are preferably beveled as shown, to acilitate easy engagement in thrustin the'pinion 9 into mesh. Pinion 9 is provi ed with a hub 10 having an annular groove 11 which is engaged by a thrust clevis or fork 12 made integral or rigidly connected with a thrust shaft 13. Shaft 13 extends through the end 14 of a suitable enclosing casing forpinion 9 and its shifting mechanism, which casing is incorporated with the mounting of the starter 7 and of the main case 2 so as to maintain the parts in rigid operative relation. Shift rod 13 extends rearwardly and isslidably engaged by a terminal abutment 15 of connecting rod 16, which in turn is actuated by lever arm 17 of rock shaft ,18 mounted in suitable bearings below the floor 19 of the car.

A retracting spring 20 for thrust rod-13 bears by one end against the end of casing 14: and by its other end against washer 21 and a cotter" pin 22 or other abutment fixedly connected with shaft 13. By means of spring 20, the pinion 9 is retracted from engagement with gear- 5, after being pushed into gear, and when the engine is in operation. A spring 23 of somewhat. greater strength than spring 20 is interposed between a washer 24: and abutment 22 at one end and against the pressing abutment 15 at its other en An operating button 25 at the up er end of a thrust rod 26 is located su ciently above floor 19 to be in convenient position after being pressed downwardly by the foot of an operator, and rod.26 is pivotally connected with an operating lever 27 of rock shaft 18.

A represents a swit'chdevice, shown in section in Fig. .4, by means of. which energizing current is transmitted from battery B to the starting-motor 7. At the commencement of the operation, it is desirable that the startin current shall be modified as to its strengti by means of a resistance 28 inter- 32, andcontacts 29 andBl are adapted to. be simultaneously closed through a leafspring contact 33 mounted upon the end of a thrust in 34 in an extension 35 of the casin hrust pin 34 is provided with a terminal cap 36 and a retracting spring 37,

by which the thrust pin and contact spring.

may be depressed for starting the motor, and

, then retracted.

An additionalcontact 38'sli htly below the general contacting zone of t e primary contacts 29 and 31, 18 connected with the mainlead wire 30, the circuit being closed tery B'to the by connection 39 from the other side of batfor slow initial. action of motor7, further depression of stem 34 will supply the full current to the motor through contacts 31, 33 and 38, as will be readily understood.

An additional lever arm 40-on rock shaft 18 is located within 0 rative reach of terminal 36 of the switc with sufiicient lost motion travel to ensure the thrusting of pinion 9 into mesh with gear 5 prior to the time the initial current is transmitted, further pressure upon stem 26 ensuring full engagement of the gears prior to orv simultaneously with the transmission to the starting motor 7 of the full current. Release of ressure upon button 25 effects 0 ning o the circuit assisted by lifting action of spring 41 and automatic retraction of pinion 9 from gear 5, u on the starting of the engine, so that the evice is automatic in operation and independent of any subsequent voluntary action by the operator.

I 'The invention may be variously changed or modified in detail construction to adapt it to various installations or mounting of the engine or its equipment without departing from the scope of the following claims What I claim is:

1. In combination with a starting motor having a slidably mounted pinion, a thrust rod in operative engagement with the pinion, a, retracting s ring and a pushing spring enga ing an a utment on the thrust rod, a

swltc in circuit with themotor, and lever mechanism adapted to actuate the thrust rod and the switch successively by continuous movement.

2. In combination with a starting motor having a slidably mounted pinion, a thrust rod in operative engagement with the pinion, a retracting spring and a pushlng spring engaging an abutment on the thrust rod, a

ound. After making the' initial circuit t rough contacts 29 and 31 switch in circuit, with the motor, and lever mechanism having a common rock shaft, a

foot-pressed rod, aconnection to the thrust rod, and an arm for the switch adapted to make engagement therewith toactuate it after motion is imparted to the motor pinion.

3. In combination with a, starting motor having a driving shaft and a slidably mounted pinion thereon; a thrust rod engaging the pinion, a retracting spring and a pressure s ring eachengaging an. abutment on the 4 t rust rod, a shifting arm directly engaging embodying a switch, and lever mechanism connected with the shifting arm adapted to first move the shifting arm and to then transmit movement to the switch.

5. In combination with a starting motor having a driving shaft and a slidably mounted pinion thereon; a thrust rod engaging the pinion, a retracting spring and a pressure 5 ring each an aging an abutment on the t rust rod, a shifting arm directly engaging the pressure spring and-slidably engaging the thrust rod, a circuit for the motor embodying a switch, a plurality of circuit contacts therein and a corres onding plurality of circuit lines leading to t e motor embodying a resistance, and lever mechanism connected with the shifting arm adapted to first move the shifting arm andto then transmit movement to the switch to actuate it progressively after the pinion thrusting mechanism has been actuated.

6. The combination with'a starting motor having a slidabl mounted pinion, a thrust rod having an a utment thereon, in opera-- tive engagemegt with lthe pinion, a retractin sprm an a pus in s rm en a n sal d abutz nent 01111 the tllilrfist rod, a sgi in arm enga ng t e pus in s ri a me shaft, mea n s for operating thgro cfi shaft, a lever on said rock shaft connecting with the shiftin arm, and a switch operating lever on sai rock shaft. k

7. The combination with a starting motor having a slidable mounted pinion, a thrust rod having an abutment thereon, in operative engagement with the pinion, a retractlever on said roc shaft connecting with the shifting arm, a switch operating lever position on said rock shaft, and a switch controlling the. operation of said motor positioned to be actuated by said lever after the thrust rod has moved said pinion into operative said pushing spring allowing for the further movement of the rock shaft.

8. The combination with a motor having a reciprocably movable pinion, of means for effecting the movement th'ereof comprising a thrust rod having means thereon engaging the pinion to move it, an abutment on said rod, a pressure spring and a \retracting spring engaging said abutment, a reciprocable shifting rod having means for engaging the pressure spring, a rock arm for effecting the reciprocation of said shifting rod, and an operating means for moving the rock arm, said pressure spring providing a yieldable connection for transmitting mcgltion from the shifting rod to the thrust ro 9. The combination with a motor having a reciprocably movable pinion, of means for efi'ecting the movement thereof comprising a thrust rod having means thereon engaging the pinion to move it, an abutment on said rod, a pressure spring and a retracting spring engaging said abutment, a reciprocable shifting rod having means for engagingthe pressure sprin a'rock arm for effeeting the reciprocation of said shifting rod, an operating means for moving the rock arm, said pressure spring providing a yieldable connection for transmitting motion from the shifting rod to the thrust rod, 9. second rock arm actuated from said operating means, and a switch adapted to be actuated by said rock arm.

In testimony whereof Ihereunto afiix my signature.

EDWARD A. DICKEY. 

